My Sacrifice
by Flava Sava
Summary: [Creed] Colonel Mustang mourns the loss of his greatest friend. PG for slight swearing, but otherwise its fine. Spoiler warning for Episode 25, and Manga 1516. Please R


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Full Metal Alchemist...

I wrote this after listening to my new cd. I had other plans for it, but I decided to write about Hughes instead. He made the ultimate sacrifice for Ed and Al. May he rest in peace.

_

* * *

Hello my friend we meet again  
It's been awhile where should we begin  
Feels like forever  
Within my heart a memory  
A perfect love that you gave to me  
Oh I remember _

Roy stared at the freshly buried grave. It hadn't been long since Gracia and Elysia had both left; returning to their house there in Central. He sighed, thinking hard. Brigadier General Hughes had been his closest friend. They had known each other for quite sometime; ever since they had joined the military.

_When you are with me  
I'm free, I'm careless ,I believe  
Above all the others we'll fly  
this brings tears to my eyes  
My sacrifice_

First Lieutenant Hawkeye came up towards her superior, hesitating as she could tell he was deep in thought. She waited a bit, and by then, Colonel Mustang had sensed her staring at him.

"Yes Lieutenant?" He asked, still looking upon the grave.

"We need to return to headquarters," she said, hating the words that she was saying to him. Like the Colonel, she wanted to stay there and mourn the loss of a fellow soldier; it was respectful. None the less, they all dawned the black sash across their uniforms; the respect the military showed to the dead.

The Colonel nodded, and turned on his heel, walking past her slowly. Hawkeye stood, staring at the grave; Mustang was now standing next to her, when he turned and looked at the grave. "You will be greatly missed," he said, saluting, and then walking slowly back to the headquarters. Riza stood where she was, feeling the pain in the words Mustang had just uttered. She soon turned, and followed after him. Her mind reeling with questions, thoughts, and worries. All of Hughes' duties now fell to her.

The two walked in almost silence, except for the occasional thud of their boots. Few birds sang in the air, as if they knew someone who was loved by all had taken his last breath trying to tell the Colonel what he had discovered. Mustang shut his eyes tightly, hating himself for not being there when Hughes had discovered something so valuable to them.

It wasn't long till they reached the headquarters, and they headed to their offices. Mustang passed through the main office of his subordinates to his office, closing the door firmly behind him. Lieutenant Hawkeye followed him till she reached her desk, and sat down with a sigh. She looked at he papers, and dreaded the very thought of even starting them.

All the papers were things Hughes had been searching through; Hawkeye didn't understand why, it was just that way. There had never been a reason that she knew of why Hughes was searching through these papers; they were just placed on Hawkeye's desk for her to finish. She started to slowly go through the papers, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Just field reports, among other reports from around Central.

1st Lieutenant Hawkeye went through the papers, sorting them in piles. She soon started to notice a pattern. Each report had something to do with King Bradley; whether it was him visiting a certain area where the Elric's were, or somehow he'd leave his escort and go off and find more danger, yet come out completely unharmed.

"Leaving his escort? How'd they let him get away so easily? Even I keep a good track of where the Colonel is..." she said to herself, setting the report among others she had been glancing through.

Major Fury came into the office carrying another load of papers. "Lieutenant Hawkeye... More papers from Brigadier General Hughes' desk." Hawkeye nodded at him.

"Just set them here Fury," she said, indicating to a portion of her desk that hadn't been covered yet. Fury nodded and set the papers down on her desk. As Fury left, Colonle Mustang came from his office, causing Hawkeye to look up. "Sir...? Colonel?" She asked as he started walking for the door. The lieutenant put down her papers among the mess, and followed him quickly. "Colonel? Mustang where are you going?" She asked, politely yet sternly.

Colonel Mustang turned around quickly. "I'm going home... I have signed the papers that need to be signed, Lieutenant," he said, nodding curtly, and then continuing down the hall. Lieutenant Hawkeye watched him walk down the hall, and then turned on her heel, and returned to her desk. She could understand why he was so angry; his closest friend found dead in a phone booth was very unexpected.

_We've seen our share of ups and downs  
Oh how quickly life can turn around  
In an instant  
It feels so good to reunite  
Within yourself and within your mind  
Lets find peace there_

Roy soon reached his apartment, closing and locking the door firmly behind him, he continued inwards; taking off his hat and coat, and setting them on the hooks inside. He wasn't normally as organized, or caring, especially today. Mustang stumbled into the kitchen, and started on finding some of his whiskey to where he could hopefully drown his mourning. It didn't take him long till he found a small bottle to which he poured himself a glass, and settled into the living room by the window.

He had a book with him; a book that he had been eagerly wanting to read, though had never gotten around to it. Beings that he was normally too busy with work he never had time. This was different though; the 1st lieutenant understood why he wanted to leave, and surprisingly enough, let him. Roy drank from his glass of whiskey, and set it on the table next to him; he opened the book and started to read, though his heart told him this wasn't the right thing to do. He knew otherwise, but ignored the feeling.

It wasn't long before he fell asleep, his mind wandering among the text he had been reading. Being more relaxed, Hughes suddenly appeared to him

"Hey Colonel. Why aren't you at the office? The Lieutenant let you off easy?" Hughes asked curiously. The colonel looked at him a bit confused.

"Hughes? Where…? I…I thought you were d-dead…" Roy said the word just inching out of his mouth.

Hughes sighed. "Sadly, yes I am… Damn him… I was trying to tell you something very important."

Roy nodded, still trying to grasp that concept. "What were you trying to tell me exactly? I heard you tell the operator the military was in danger…I picked up the phone and…" Roy said, getting quiet as he thought about what happened more and more.

"A yes… What I had discovered… I found out that the military is corrupt and straight at the top too. They've been using the prison next to the 5th laboratory t fuel their stone making," Hughes replied.

Roy's eyes widened. "You mean THE stone?" Roy said, in astonishment; he saw Hughes' nodded, and sat in his dream, deep in thought.

"And to think they pulled off something like this, and now one found out… It makes you wonder what else they are doing that we don't know about." Roy nodded, hearing Hughes' comment.

"You were promoted to Brigadier General…" The Colonel said, thinking over the events that had happened that day.

"Ah… Really now? Because of my sudden death? It makes a person wonder why these things didn't happen sooner…"

"Maes… I have to know…Who killed you? I need to get revenge for killing you. You left behind a wife and daughter. They need you…"

Maes looked solemn. "I…I can't tell you that… It would make things too easy… Life can't always be easy; it's just the way it is…"

Roy's fist clenched. "You have to tell me! We don't know who killed you, and we never will if we don't' catch the bastard that did!"

"Roy… I understand you want revenge. But it's not something that can be handed to you on a silver platter. It's something you have to discover yourself," he said, nodding solemnly.

Roy nodded, relaxing his fist. "Yes… It would be rather unfair if I started to get things handed to me…"

"Keep thinking… The answers will come; I'm not sure how, but I know they will," Hughes said turning around and starting to walk away from Roy.

"Hughes, where are you going?" The colonel asked brashly.

"Me? You'll see me again, don't worry. I'll be back," he said, turning and walking once again away. Roy noticed he was walking into some light; he stood, and tried to follow Hughes, but something was holding him from doing so.

A loud crash suddenly brought him from his dreams. The colonel sat up; his glass of whiskey suddenly broken on the floor. He ignored it, and started thinking about what Hughes had meant. Roy shook his head, and kneeled down on the floor, picking up the glass to throw away.

He soon had the mess cleaned up though his mind was still elsewhere; what his dream meant, and why Hughes had to be the one to have left them so soon.

_When you are with me  
I'm free, I'm careless, I believe  
Above all the others we'll fly  
this brings tears to my eyes  
My sacrifice _

I just want to say hello again  
I just want to say hello again

My sacrifice

* * *

Dedicated the Brigadier General  
Maes Hughes.  
You will be missed greatly among these ranks.


End file.
